Too Little Too Late?
by 9dottyheart9
Summary: Luc's left Eddi feeling numb and not herself. How much will Luc have to do for Eddi to admit her still prominent feelings for him, or is it all just Too Little Too Late? This is set after Luc leaves Eddi, but I think I'm going to ignore Max and the drugs, if that's alright, as I found it so upsetting. This is my first ever FanFic so all reviews are greatly appreciated. :) Xx
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_Eddi Mckee was in the middle of taking blood from a patient, distracted by her work, when a man strode confidently up to her. He was tall with soft brown hair, and was dressed in blue scrubs with a stethoscope around his neck .A smile sat comfortably on his face. The whole of AAU had come to a standstill to watch the encounter unfold. Eyes widened as he approached her. Eddi hadn't noticed the figure until he kissed her tentatively on the neck._

"_Luc" she breathed, gazing upwards into his chocolate brown eyes._

_Their lips joined forces through months' worth of withheld passion, as their tongues battled in desperation. This once private and solitude couple now displayed their love for the whole ward to see. With their lips still attached, Luc scooped Eddi into his arms in a cradle carry and began to walk towards AAU's exit. Both were smiling, ecstatic. All around AAU, people were in awe, mouths wide open in surprise. Even Chrissie looked a little taken aback. No one could be happier for the pair, despite any previous disputes that had occurred, mostly with Eddi it had to be said._

"_Way to go Eddi, way to go!" Eddi heard Sacha's voice from somewhere behind her, but was too absorbed in Luc to pay proper attention._

_Doctors, nurses and even patients began clapping as they watched the conjoined pair leave the ward. Just as they reached the double doors, Eddi removed Luc's stethoscope from around his neck and placed it, instead, around her own._

"Mckee!" an American voice shouted.

"Wh…what?" mumbled Eddi, immediately awakening from her daydream to find herself staring blankly at the computer screen in front of her. She looked up to see Michael above her.

"You're needed. Bed eight"

"Right. Of course." replied the nurse, snapped back to the day to day gloom of proper work. Locked away in the back of her mind, she could remember a time she actually looked forward to the hustle and bustle of AAU. This could, however, have been something to do with a certain doctor, who worked there too, although Eddi stubbornly refused to believe it.

She sighed as she began to walk over to the patient, knowing she had just been thinking about her two forbidden areas of interest. Firstly, her unconditional love for "An Officer and a Gentleman", a fact no one could ever know as she would be deemed soppy and romantic; two words that Eddi Mckee (at least told herself she) did not know the meaning of. But secondly, and more worryingly, she had been thinking about Luc. The man who had left her without so much as a simple text good-bye. Where was her pride? She knew she should be angry, but all she felt was emptiness. This man had reduced her to a sad, quiet girl stuck in the fantasy of her own mind and it was for this, above all else, that she hated him. His leaving had changed her. She didn't like remembering him, or so she tried to convince herself, and yet she frequently found her mind wandering to him, dreaming of him coming back for her and whisking her away. Sadly, reality seemed to have other plans.

"Well no more" she told herself. Mr Hemingway was going to be removed from her mind permanently, no matter how hard it was. He'd caused enough damage to her emotions- he had to go. Only mentally this time.

And with that, Eddi strode over to her patient, a smile fixed in position- the first smile, no matter how fake, that had been on her face since the day he left, all those months ago.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Over the next week, Eddi forced herself to keep busy through social activities, mostly, she had to admit, drinking (if that could count). She began to dread her breaks at work, knowing she would be alone with her thoughts, and it was at these times that she was most vulnerable to Luc popping back into her mind.

Michael and Sacha stood together at the nurses' station, observing their friend and colleague as she sped through her ward rounds, busy as ever, never dithering too long or giving her brain a rest.

"Alright what happened? She was a moping mess a week ago." Michael alleged to Sacha.

"Cathexis" he replied.

"Whoa Levy! That's a big, long word. Where'd ya learn that? I'm almost impressed." teased Michael.

"Luc." Sacha replied simply, furrowing his eyebrows slightly, as he recalled the events of the previous Christmas and remembered the complicated dialect of his former colleague.

"I should have guessed." Michael said, a hint of mockery present in his voice.

"What does it mean then?" Michael said in a low voice, not liking to admit he didn't know.

"Putting all your energy into one action. Freud's theory." Sacha smiled triumphantly.

"Freud's theory. Of course" Michael muttered in a sarcastic tone.

They sighed in unison as they watched Eddi, worked off her feet, bags under her eyes. Whatever their impression of Luc, he'd certainly had a startling effect on Eddi, and they watched their friend run around, wishing there was some way they could help her, but knowing there was only person she really wanted anything to do with. And that person was gone.

Eddi sat staring out over Holby, watching the ambulances come and go, the steady rush of people both arriving and exiting the hospital. She inhaled deeply, forcing oxygen into her lungs, as she tried to combat the effects of her night drinking.

"Never again" she mumbled to herself, as she prepared for the busy day ahead, but deep down she knew that tonight she would be drowning her sorrows once more. It was the only way not to think about him, and she wouldn't- couldn't- think about him, for her own sanity. She'd never experienced a break up like this before, where she was left feeling just hollow and fragile. She wanted to cry, but knew she mustn't. If she started, she couldn't stop and it would mean Luc had won. She'd never let that happen.

She was about to leave the roof, knowing that if she stayed too long, he'd be playing on her thoughts all day, when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. A campervan- an Eldis if she wasn't very much mistaken pulling into the car park. This was a day Eddi had, until recently, been dreaming about. She felt sick and went weak at the knees. She wanted to hit him, shout at him, do whatever, but she couldn't. She just felt numb- that was how badly he'd hurt her. She couldn't feel any more towards him, because if she did, it would all be too much. What could he possibly want now? She decided she didn't care. Just as she'd started to try and forget him, he'd come back. Typical.

"Oh the irony" she muttered to herself, and ran from the roof to the ward, determined to get there first.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, so this is Chapter 3 and it's a bit longer than the others. Thank you to everyone who's reading this and, as always, feedback is welcome. Apologies if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes. **

Chapter 3

Eddi walked onto the ward, looking for signs of him. She couldn't see him anywhere and everyone was behaving normally so she casted off her encounter on the roof as just her stupid imagination being left to its own devices for a bit too long. She smiled- he wasn't here and that was for the best. It must be.

He looked around the car park and up at the hospital. It hadn't changed at all. He just wished this could be true for the people inside. He knew he would have to deal with the questions, the stares, the raising of eyebrows as he walked past. However, this didn't bother him as long as he got to see her. No doubt she'd be angry and he really couldn't blame her for it. He was actually quite looking forward to being shouted at. He thought she was rather cute when angry- not that he'd ever tell her this; she'd punch him! He couldn't help but smile to himself as he remembered all of their previous spats. None of them, he knew, would be anything like what was about to happen. Getting his girl back, that was all that mattered, no matter how injured he got in the process. She would take him back eventually- she _had_ to. Luc took a deep breath and walked up to the hospital, well aware that his social skills were weak at the best of times. It was going to be a long day.

"So we just need to get your tests back from the lab and then you can go home" Eddi said smiling to her patient, all the while desperately trying not to yawn. She turned around to walk back to the nurses' station and that was when she saw him.

"Hi" he said with a lopsided smile and a slight wave of the hand, which to others could have been mistaken as an involuntary shake.

Eddi couldn't believe who was in front of her. So she hadn't imagined it earlier in the car park. Her mind clouded over and she didn't know what to do. She just felt an aching in her chest and all she wanted to do was cry; but that was out of the question. She had to stay strong, professional. She had worked so hard to get over him, he wasn't about to ruin that now.

"Mr Hemingway" she observed calmly before turning around and briskly walking in the other direction, leaving Luc stranded in the middle of the ward, a confused expression fixed on his face.

Luc was never one to read emotions well, he knew how terrible he was socially, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand what had just happened. He knew Eddi and she was never one to hide her emotions, especially when she was angry. Why wasn't she shouting at him? She must be mad at him. Anger he could deal with, usually if someone let it all out, it made it much easier to talk to them later. But Eddi's reaction to seeing him again was the last thing he'd expected. He was still standing in the same position, turning the short conversation over and over again in his mind when Sacha came up to him.

"Luc!" he exclaimed, pulling the man into one of his famous bear hugs.

"Sacha mate" Luc smiled, while also feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Can I tempt you to some beautiful, blue scrubs?"

"Urm… yes, yes I think so" Luc replied, desperate to stay and work out what was going on with Eddi.

Minutes later, Luc re-emerged onto the ward, fitted in his scrubs.

"So…" Sacha began. Luc knew the questions were coming and knew, also, they were unavoidable. He might as well get them over with now.

"Reunited with Eddi yet?"

"Yes actually" Luc replied, matter of factly.

"Funny, I thought I would have heard it"

"Yeah I thought you would've as well. Tell me Sacha, what has she been like recently? Since… since…well…" Luc trailed off.

"Since you left?" It stung to hear someone else say it.

"Well, she was depressed for a long while, quiet, less than enthusiastic about work."

"Eddi quiet? Uh oh" Luc murmured, more to himself than Sacha.

"But recently she's become cheerful, she's been working overtime, doing more than she has to… a lot more."

"Cheerful?" Luc questioned, knowing this was not how she was supposed to be acting.

"Cathexis" Luc decided, that had to be the case.

"Mmm… maybe. That's what I thought to begin with. But maybe… maybe you just have to accept that she's over you mate" Sacha suggested gently.

"Uh-huh" Luc grunted by way of response. Over him? He hadn't expected that. Maybe he was an idiot for thinking she would feel the way he felt after all this time. Cheerful? Eddi? Eddi had never struck him as the cheerful sort and he liked her for it. Cheerful was reserved for nurses such as Nurse Lane. Eddi was sarcastic and witty. The more he thought about it, the more he decided that what Sacha was saying just couldn't be right. She hadn't looked well when he'd seen her. She had bags under her eyes and she looked exhausted. She was clearly run off her feet.

Eddi came back onto the ward, looking worse than she did before, and a little wind swept. He watched as she did her ward rounds, she was professional towards patients and pleasant, almost friendly, towards the staff. He watched as she got another nurse to deal with a difficult patient- they were supposed to be her speciality. Her feistiness had diminished to almost nothing, and Luc couldn't help but feel that this was his fault. He wanted nothing more than to be shouted at by his favourite nurse. Sighing, he strolled over to his first patient.

.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much to everyone for the lovely reviews. They're a great incentive to keep going with this! **

Chapter 4

Eddi spent the remainder of that morning avoiding Luc by sticking closely to Sacha and his patients. She did her absolute best not to make eye contact with him, nor look flustered by his presence.

"Just act professional" she told herself "like you have been for the past week."

By lunch time, the pair still hadn't sat down to sort out their problems. In Luc's defence, this wasn't from lack of trying. Every time he approached the nurses' station, Eddi would get up and see to a patient. The one conversation they had managed, had been concerning patient notes, and Eddi had deadpanned throughout. Luc realised that it was he, the socially inept one, who would have to get the ball rolling. The question was, how?

"Nurse Mckee, could you get this puss down to the lab for me please?" Nice one Hemingway- what woman isn't wooed by puss in a test tube? He could have hit himself.

"Of course" was the extent of her reply.

"Oh, and while you're heading that way, could you take Mr Daniels up to Keller?" he asked, well aware that this was not her job, but the job of a porter.

"Okay" was all he got from her. Okay? What had happened to her? The Eddi he knew would never have allowed herself to be pushed around by a doctor, least of all by him. He wished he knew how to get her back to her former self. He had to talk to her.

"Oh and one more thing Nurse Mckee. Meet me in the staff room in fifteen minutes. You'll be on lunch, correct?"

Eddi opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it again. She gave Luc a simple nod before continuing with her duties. She knew she'd better meet Luc and talk to him; he'd corner her eventually anyway.

To Luc, the following fifteen minutes seemed to last for an eternity, he was so anxious to speak to Eddi. He couldn't get his mind to focus properly and he found his eyes continuously glancing up at the clock on the wall. At last his lunch break had arrived, and he almost sprinted to the staff room, hoping she would show. He was relieved to find her sitting in the corner, absent- mindedly starring out of the window.

"Eddi" he stuttered. She looked up, her face giving nothing away. It was at this point that Luc realised he had nothing to say to her. He stood, awkwardly hopping from one foot to the other as he racked his brains for how to begin.

"You look good" he said honestly. It was true, she looked exhausted and had bags under her eyes, but to Luc she couldn't look more perfect if she tried.

"You don't" she replied simply, lying through her teeth. Luc couldn't help but smile, if her wit was back, then that was half the battle won. Or so he thought.

"Listen, I owe you an apology and a big one and I…" he was cut off.

"No, you don't. You don't owe me anything. It's fine"

The phrase 'It's fine' kept running through Luc's mind. It most certainly was not fine and that was because of him. He was lost in his trail of thoughts and didn't notice that Eddi had exited the room for several moments. He was getting nowhere and he didn't think he ever would. He knew Eddi was stubborn, she was the only person he'd ever met more stubborn than himself, but he didn't think she was this stubborn. Grimacing, Luc began to accept the fact that through his departure, he'd lost her and this time he felt there was no chance of getting her back.

Eddi took a deep breath and almost ran back to the ward, knowing that hearing Luc's explanations would only send her back to him, and she really couldn't risk that, in case she lost him again. She wished she felt angrier- shouting was one thing she knew she could do well. She decided she would have to work even harder to avoid him all afternoon. However, Eddi's job was made easier than expected as Luc was nowhere to be seen…


	5. Chapter 5

**So sorry this took me a while to upload, my laptop spazzed up. Anyway, sorry if this is a bit of a 'nothing' chapter, I just needed to get it in. As usual, all feedback's welcome. **

Chapter 5

"Okay, thank- you sir" Luc ended the call sighing. He looked around his campervan, carefully examining every aspect. He looked at the photos from his travels, his vast collection of books, his bed and a lipstick left by Eddi from when she'd spent the night there. He hadn't dared get rid of it, all the months he'd been away. Those happy memories seemed a world away now. He missed the way she touched him, the way he'd hold her through the night, the way they'd fight over the silliest things, but most of all he just missed her. She had an effect on him no woman had ever had before, and Luc didn't understand it. One thing Luc Hemingway was not used to was not understanding- it scared him stiff. He'd left the hospital early yesterday so he could start making his plans, and so he could think straight. He just wished things could be different- but they couldn't, she'd made that perfectly clear. Slowly he stood up, knowing he had to go back to the hospital- he had to talk to her, it was only fair. He wanted to do it right this time.

Eddi watched as Luc came onto the ward, her good mood dropping slightly, particularly as she picked up on her increased heart rate. She hated the affect he had on her, and wished more than anything he never came back so she didn't have to face the way he made her feel. She recalled the buzz she got from just one of his kisses, it was like nothing she'd ever felt before- the connection they shared was so raw and natural. No matter how much she denied it, the fact of the matter was she wanted him. Badly; not that she'd ever let the thought cross her mind. As far as Eddi was concerned he was history, and good riddance. At least that's what she told herself. He was late for his shift which only exasperated Eddi further. He looked a bit anxious, as he strolled onto the ward, and Eddi was dismayed to find she was curious to know why.

"Eddi, we need to talk" Luc said calmly but quickly, grabbing her arm. Eddi couldn't help but notice the electricity when he touched her.

"Not now Luc, I'm busy." She replied, seemingly unfazed to the untrained eye.

"Please"

"Besides, we tried it yesterday, didn't really work did it?" Luc still hadn't let go of her arm.

"This isn't optional Eddi" he replied, dragging her into the locker room, while ignoring her feeble protests…


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, favourite chapter to write, so I hope it's your favourite chapter to read! **

Chapter 6

"What?!" Eddi demanded, trying to look as annoyed as possible. She'd positioned herself against the wall next to the door, so that if necessary, if things got too difficult, she could make a speedy exit. Eddi wanted to leave right then and there, but realised she really wanted to know what Luc had to say. She sighed, hating how intrigued she was by him.

"Eddi… I'm leaving. Again." Luc spluttered out. He had been hoping that if nothing else worked, this at least would get some kind of reaction from the nurse. He got nothing. There was a moment of silence.

"Good" was all she said. Luc had to admit, that hurt. He'd hoped for something more. It hurt Eddi to say it but she wasn't going to give Luc the satisfaction of thinking she gave the damndest what he did. He'd left before and he was leaving again- that was all there was to it. Eddi wanted to feel happy, but instead felt nothing. Once again she was numb, other than the dull aching in her chest, which ever since Luc, seemed to have become a permanent fixture.

In desperation Luc continued. "I didn't tell you the last time, so I wanted to do it properly this time… so… maybe we could leave as friends?" Luc continued to mutter and stumble his way through conversation but Eddi didn't glance up once. Luc sighed heavily.

"So, I'm leaving after this shift. I'm off to the army… not as an officer obviously, an onsite doctor" Eddi's head had jerked up and she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. She stared at him bewildered. Luc continued talking, getting swallowed by his thoughts, as Eddi tried to process the information.

"So I'll be up front with the soldiers. Iraq, Afghanistan, you know means I get to travel more, I'm not tied down anywhere…." Luc was still in full swing, more talking to himself than Eddi when she opened her mouth to interrupt.

"The army?!" she screamed. Suddenly, Eddi felt all the repressed anger which she'd held within her since Luc left. She was so raw with emotion her body started shaking. It was like someone had cut the strings from a puppet and it was at last let free. Eddi couldn't control herself, her heart hammering hard against her chest and she felt her eyes starting to water.

"Luc are you absolutely mental? You'll get yourself killed!" Eddi shrieked, hot tears streaming down her face. She'd never felt so angry in her life, but she couldn't understand why. She wanted to hit Luc, kick him, force him to stay. He couldn't join the army, he just couldn't. Could he not see what this would do to her? Did he not understand what could happen to him? He was supposed to be a genius for goodness sake!

At last Luc was being shouted at by Eddi, but this was not how he pictured it. When he told her, he'd expected a sad good bye at best. He certainly hadn't thought this would be the reason for her screaming at him. He thought he was doing what she wanted- leaving again. All at once, Luc felt blood begin to boil under his skin. What right did she have to care now? Since his return, all she'd done was avoid him and make sarcastic comments. Luc couldn't contain himself. He was livid.

"Oh yeah, and what does it matter to you if I get killed? What difference does it make? All you've done is ignore me since I returned- you won't even let me try and explain!" he all but yelled at her. Luc didn't often raise his voice but he was frightening when he did.

"It matters!" Eddi shouted back, equally livid.

"Oh really" Luc almost laughed. "Why?" he said crossing his arms and looking her dead in the eye, lowering his voice as he did so which, under any other circumstances, Eddi would have found sexy and irresistible.

"BECAUSE!" was all she could shout, feeling the tears forming again as she thought about why it mattered.

"BECAUSE WHAT?!" Luc retaliated, anger still thick in his voice.

"Because… because I love you!" Eddi regretted the words as soon she'd said them. Luc's brow softened slightly. There was a silence that seemed to last an eternity, as the pair just stared at each other, neither knowing what to do nor how to react.

"I… ward… patients... busy" Eddi tried to put an excuse together, although ended up sounded mentally disabled and unable to form a proper sentence. However, before Eddi could collect her thoughts and get out of the room, she felt hot lips on hers as she was pinned to the wall. She reclined for a moment before allowing anger to boil over into passion as she wrapped her hands around the back of Luc's neck. He moved his hands down her body as she found the buttons to his shirt.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews so far- you guys are amazing! **** I'm sorry if the chapters are a bit slow or don't move fast enough- I guess that's just how I write.**

**Just a little note on the side. Was anyone else really feeling the lack of Eddi's presence in last Tuesday's episode? (Hail Caesar). Sacha and Luc are great together, and I'd love them to have a bit of a bromance, but I just felt like Sacha and Luc's spat would have been exactly the sort of thing he and Eddi would have fallen out over, Eddi really knowing how to tell Luc how it is; except they would have had a proper make up session- possibly a make out session as well ;). Obviously, it would have to have been before the drugs, but nevertheless it felt like they could have been great together in that episode. Sorry for this rant, just really missing my favourite TV couple- maybe I'm suffering with withdrawal symptoms from them. *Sigh***

Chapter 7

Luc's pager bleeped, shattering the world the couple had been creating and forcing them back to reality. Luc swore under his breath. He was now naked to the waist, while the top of Eddi's scrubs had been removed.

"I'm sorry I have to go. Meet me outside my van after work?" Luc grumbled.

Eddi nodded, a smile playing on her lips. Luc put his shirt back on and left the room, but not without a cheeky kiss to Eddi. He paused for a second, wondering if he could get away with staying, but realised duty called and left the room.

Eddi watched the door close behind him, still smiling and feeling genuinely happy for the first time in months. However, her smile was soon replaced by a frown as she remembered the conversation they'd had shortly before. Luc wasn't really going to the army; not now surely. He'd have to get out of it, she wouldn't- couldn't- let him leave again. Eddi was still lost in her thoughts, when Chrissie walked in.

"Playing strip nurse now are we?" Chrissie smirked. Eddi suddenly remembered she hadn't replaced the top of her scrubs and felt her cheeks glow red.

"What? No! A patient was sick on me" Eddi scowled.

"Really?"

"Yup" Eddi replied, looking straight at Chrissie.

"It's just I noticed Mr Hemingway leave here not so long ago, rather hastily doing up a shirt button. Know anything about that?" Chrissie continued to pry. Eddi felt herself getting angry again, the nosy cow! She really couldn't stand Chrissie.

"The patient was sick on him too" Eddi replied, not skipping a beat. Chrissie sighed at not getting any more information from Eddi

"Whatever you say. I just came in here to let you know you're needed on the ward"

"Fine" Eddi murmured, still angry at Chrissie. She began to follow the older nurse back out onto the ward.

"Oh and Eddi…"

"What?" Eddi asked exasperated, ready to deny everything.

"Scrubs" she said simply with a smile before exiting the room. Eddi looked down, and realised she was still in just her bra from the waist upwards. She could have killed Chrissie. She threw on her scrubs and stormed onto the ward.

AAU was as hectic as ever. Eddi stood up straight, trying to forget the events of the last hour and go into work mode, however Luc kept playing on her mind. She couldn't wait till her shift ended so she could be with him.

Monitors started beeping loudly somewhere.

"Can I get some help over here?" Michael shouted. Eddi ran over where she was met by Luc. They smiled at each other before getting to work on resuscitating the man lying in front of them. Their efforts were successful and this, combined with Luc, was enough to reinstate Eddi's good mood.

Both Eddi and Luc worked well that afternoon- they worked together as a team for the first time since Luc had come back. However, to them at least, the afternoon still seemed to drag by. Luc was becoming increasingly frustrated with how often he found himself hopelessly starring at the clock, willing it to move faster. A woman had never had this kind of control over him before and he wasn't sure how to handle it. Meanwhile, Eddi had been restored to her former self. She was feisty, argumentative and took nonsense from no one. Sacha smiled to himself from the nurses' station as he watched her deal with one of the ward's more difficult patients, calmly and collectively. She was back.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, so chapter 8's done! **** Hope you all enjoy it, feedback welcome as ever. Much love to all.**

Chapter 8

Eddi almost squealed with excitement, knowing that her shift was over. Luc had finished an hour prior to her so he would be waiting in his caravan. She almost ran there before stopping short as memories of the last time they'd agreed to meet there flooded through her mind. He wouldn't leave again, would he? Surely not after the afternoon they'd just had. Eddi sighed, realising the trust issues she now had to combat. She convinced herself he'd be there and proceeded, although she couldn't help but close her eyes as she rounded the corner. Relief rushed through her veins as her eyes lay set on the campervan in front of her. She grinned before walking up to the door.

Luc saw her walking up to his van and couldn't help but smile. This woman, the woman he was crazy about, appeared to be crazy about him too. At least crazy enough to spend and evening in his company. He watched adoringly as she climbed the steps to his campervan and opened the door.

"A-du-du-du turn around." He told her grinning, watching her eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"What? Why?" she questioned.

"We're going out" he replied, still grinning a slightly lop sided smile that just made Eddi's heart melt; not that she'd show it of course.

"What? Luc? Where are you taking me?" she pestered.

"It's a surprise" he said, bundling her out the door.

A surprise. Eddi recalled Luc's last surprise- he'd taken her to his lab. And kissed her. She had to admit that had been pretty decent in the way of unexpected. Still, she was excited to see what he had to offer this time round. Luc strode off into the night, leaving Eddi jogging to catch up.

"You're a slow coach McKee!" he joked. Eddi was not amused.

"Oh shut up Hemingway" she told him sternly, before grinning.

Eddi followed Luc for several minutes, content with just being in his company. She was so busy gazing up at him, she didn't notice the puddle in front of her. She stepped forward, he blue converse instantly filling with cold, muddy water.

"Eeuuggghhh Luc what is this?" she demanded, eyes glaring.

"It's called nature" he told her, trying not to laugh.

"It's called gross" she replied angrily, looking at the state of her shoe.

"Don't be so negative. Where's your sense of adventure?" he teased.

"Uuhh back in the city where it belongs" she said sarcastically. She took in her surroundings, realising she recognized none of them. The pair were completely surrounded by trees and seemed to be, at least to Eddi, in the middle of nowhere.

"Chin up, we've got a way to go yet" he told her, starting to set off again.

"No way Luc, I am not setting another foot on this ground" she told him stubbornly. Luc was unfazed.

"Well then I guess I'll just have to carry you" he smirked, grabbing her and lifting her over his shoulder in a fire-man's carry.

"What? NO! Luc put me down!" she shrieked while laughing and wriggling.

"Nope" he replied with a smirk and firm hands.

"If you drop me, I'll sue you" she threatened.

"I think I'll take that chance"

"There could be bears for all you know" she continued "We could get eaten out here in this forest place"

Luc audibly laughed at this. "Eddi, I have been here countless times and I can assure you that I am yet to have a run in with any such bear. Now would you just relax?" he asked her.

Relax? This was such typical Luc. What was wrong with the conventional date to a restaurant or the cinema? She sighed, although secretly excited about where they were going. That was the thing about Luc; he could be so unpredictable.

"Here we are" Luc said setting her down and holding her up.

"I can manage thanks" Eddi said proudly, trying not to stumble as she took a step away from Luc. Luc just smirked watching her. Eddi's eyes widened as she examined where she'd been brought. They'd reached a clearing in the forest with a few tree stumps that could act as seats. There was a small stream running through the middle, twinkling with the reflection of the moon. The only noise that could be heard was that of her breathing and the occasional tweet on an owl. Above her, the stars shone like she'd never seen before- there were no street lamps around her to block their glow. The setting was remarkably beautiful.

"Oh Luc…" she murmured, breath taken.

"How did you find this place?" she asked, genuinely interested.

"I'm a wanderer, meandering through life and all its glory. I guess I just liked the freedom of exploring- and that's how I discovered this." He told her.

"It's so beautiful" she stated honestly.

"It's funny, you can travel anywhere in the world, and yet sometimes the most beautiful things can be so close to home" he told her, starring right into her eyes. Realising he was no longer referring to their surroundings, Eddi tilted her head up and kissed him passionately. The pair stayed comfortably in each other's arms for a while before a thought occurred to Luc.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"I guess, a little" Eddi thought for a moment "I didn't know you brought food" she said, confused.

"I didn't" Luc replied simply.

"Then why…" Eddi was interrupted.

"Wood sorrel- want some?" Luc asked, him picking what vaguely resembled a clover and popping it in his mouth.

"That's disgusting" Eddi said matter-of-factly.

"Tastes like apple-try it" Luc insisted.

"You're mad Hemingway" Eddi smiled, while messing with her hair.

"I'll force you" he teased her.

"Well then you'll be responsible for my death" she grinned, planting a kiss on his lips. Luc smiled back.

"It's not going to kill you- it's actually quite nutritionally beneficial"

"It might" Eddi argued stubbornly, gathering she was beginning to look slightly ridiculous.

"Well I just ate one and you just kissed me; feeling the grim reaper's presence yet?" Luc joked.

"Oh whatever" Eddi tried to look annoyed, but failed. She sighed.

"You know, it really is amazing here." She paused. "Thank you"

"For what?" he asked.

"Showing me this place. Letting me in." Luc just grinned at this.

"Lie down with me" he instructed. For once in her life Eddi did as she was told. Together they gazed up at the night sky above them.

"Wow" Eddi breathed.

"Can you see that star right above us, shining especially brightly?" he whispered, as if not wanting to interrupt mother earth at her finest.

"Uh-huh" Eddi whispered back.

"That's the North Star, and just up and to the right of it, that's the Big Dipper" she might have guessed Luc would be an astronomy expert on top of everything else.

"That's incredible" she told him. They lay like that, side by side, appreciating beauty of nature for several moments. Then Eddi turned so she was facing Luc, using her arm for support.

"This has been one of the best nights of my life" she said, stroking his hair with her free hand. Luc paused.

"It's not over yet" he spoke before grinning. He stood up and Eddi accepted the offer of his hand.

"Come on Mckee, I'll race you back to my van"

"You're on, and I never lose!"

"We'll see…. Ready, steady…" Luc began sprinting before saying go.

"You're a cheat Hemingway!" she shouted after him, playfully slapping him when she caught up with him as he stopped next to a tree.

"I still won" he teased her.

"Yeah, through cheating. There's a forfeit for that you know"

"Really? And what is this forfeit, may I ask"

"I want a piggy back home." Eddi demanded. "Oh and…." She whispered something in his ear. Luc raised his eyebrows, before smiling.

"Your wish is my command" he told her, allowing Eddi to clamber onto his back.

At last the pair arrived back at Luc's van. Luc led Eddi up the steps and inside, shutting the door behind her. He put his forehead against hers so he was looking right into her eyes.

"You look so beautiful tonight" he told her truthfully, amazed he ever managed to land a girl like this. Eddi grinned shyly and kissed him. And with that, they picked up where they'd left off earlier in the locker room, Luc well aware that he still had to fulfil the other half of Eddi's forfeit.


	9. Chapter 9

**I know it's been absolutely ages and I'm so sorry. Just been so busy with life and stuff, not a proper excuse I know. Anywho, I thought it was about time for a disclaimer: as much as I'd like to so I could manipulate them and make them do what I want, I own neither Holby, nor its characters. Much love for all who are reading this, comments good or bad are always welcome, and once again sorry for how long it's been! Hope you'll all forgive me.**

Chapter 9

Eddi lay peacefully next to (well more on top of due to spacing issues) Luc in his campervan. She was uncomfortable, her neck was cramped and her arm numb, but Eddi couldn't have felt happier.

"I'm glad you came back" Eddi mumbled sleepily, amusing herself by playing the Luc's fingers. It was pitch black outside and Eddi sought comfort in Luc's arms.

"Me too" Luc answered honestly, lovingly stroking her hair.

"And I'm glad you took me out tonight" she continued, warm memories seeping into her brain.

"So am I" Luc smiled, relieved to hear that his idea of a date had been a success.

"And I'm glad you've decided to stay." She added, snuggling into him, ready to sleep.

"Stay?" Luc was puzzled. He'd assumed she knew he had to leave." No Eddi, sweetheart, I still have to go." He told her gently.

"Wait what? You're leaving me again?" her voice was calm, but Luc could see anger was brewing behind her hazel eyes.

"No, I'm not I just have…"

"You're leaving me again." She said it this time in a definite tone, her voice going hollow as she sat up and tried to pull away from him.

"If you'd just let me explain…" he had to make her see how much he cared for her.

"No, Luc, you knew all along you couldn't stay."

"Yes, but it doesn't mean…"

"So I don't really mean anything to you." He hated how her voice cracked at this- he couldn't bear to see her cry.

"No, of course you do, Eddi listen…" he couldn't even finish a sentence.

"No. You used me for sex. That's all I ever was to you- a sex object." There was clear realisation in Eddi's voice. She'd never felt so violated. She pulled the sheet tightly around, thinking of this as protection from him in some way. Something occurred to her; she'd told Luc she loved him but he'd never said it back. That confirmed it- he didn't care after all.

"Don't be so ridiculous!"

"So now I'm ridiculous?" she almost shouted at him.

" Eddi, please…"

"No, no Luc no" she replied her voice finally giving way as she let the tears flow. She clambered best she could over Luc, grabbing her clothes as she did so. Mortified, she put them on as fast as possible, not caring if the labels were inside out, in an attempt to cling on tosome form of dignity. Luc watched helpless as Eddi slammed open his door and rushed off into the night. He couldn't think of the words he needed to say. Desperate, he jumped off his bed, wrapping his duvet round him as he went and ran out down the steps of his campervan.

"Eddi!"

"Eddi!"

"Eddi!" he shouted over and over again into the darkness. It was hopeless; she was gone.

Eddi ran all the way home, tears streaming down her face. Drained, she crawled into bed, all cried-out. She realised now that she had been used by Luc- he didn't care about her at all. Eddi hated him for this but she hated herself more for allowing herself sucked in and absorbed by him. Again. She'd been foolish to think he'd feel the same way about her. He'd left her after all, why shouldn't he do it again? She lay in her bed, starring at the blank ceiling above her. She felt hurt, betrayed and hated Luc even more so now, but she couldn't deny the sick feeling she got when she considered him going into the army. Throughout the night, she tossed and turned continuously, battling her conflicting emotions. She couldn't leave things like this…

Luc had resumed his place in his bed, however, no matter how much more comfortable, he felt awkward and out of place. He stared at where she had been mere hours beforehand, and wondered how he managed to mess everything up so badly. In a way he was glad he was leaving in the morning as it would allow Eddi to move on with her life properly and without him there to ruin it for her. He tried to convince himself that everything was working out for the best, but deep down he knew this wasn't the case. Even his bed felt wrong without her; that was how much of an impression she'd made. He couldn't leave things like this…


	10. Chapter 10

**I felt so bad about keeping you all so long last time that I thought I'd get this chapter out in the same week. **** So this is chapter 10…. I hope you like it. Thank you to everyone who's reading this and all the lovely reviews you guys give me. It makes writing this so worthwhile. **

**Just to let you know, I'm in the process of writing a oneshot festive fic to get us in the mood, a Christmas special you could say, concerning Luc, and possibly some Leddi! ;) I'm hoping to get it up tomorrow evening so please look out for it! I think it will be called 'The Most Wonderful Tome of the Year', but I'm not certain yet. Anyway, this is chapter 10; I hope you enjoy it…**

Chapter 10

It was early, too early, but Eddi for once was determined to get to work. She needed to catch him before he left. Say what needed to be said. She wasn't sure what that was yet, but she felt she had to do it. It was a dismal day outside- it was cold and raining, however, Eddi didn't care. All that mattered was him.

Luc gazed around his caravan; all his possessions, seldom they may be, were now in boxes. He might have been sad at the thought of leaving his home for months, if he were not so determined on catching Eddi before he left. He clambered into the driver's seat, started the ignition and took one final look at Holby- a place he'd grown accustomed towards. He was just pulling out of his familiar parking spot when he was forced to slam on his brakes.

"Jesus Christ Eddi, I almost hit you!" he said annoyed, running his hand through his hair. By now she was sitting in the passenger seat of his van.

"I know. I had to make sure I caught you before you left" she replied forcefully, looking straight into his eyes.

"Me too." Luc admitted. "I was on my way to see you now."

"Really?" Eddi's voice softened and she sounded hopeful.

"Really." Luc confirmed. "And listen, about last night, you have to know, I do care about you. I care about you more than I've ever cared about anyone. It's confusing and a new concept to me, but I like it. I would never use you Eddi, never." He told her, shocked by his outright honesty. He'd known for a while of his feelings towards her, but this was the first time he'd said them outright to anyone, including himself.

"I know. I know you're not like that, I do. And I know joining the army is just something you have to do."

"You do? Thank you Eddi, thank you" he stated, grabbing her hands and kissing her. Eddi was grateful for this.

"It's just…"

"What, what is it?" Luc asked, genuinely concerned.

"The thought of you being out there with the soldiers, you hear stuff on the news all the time. If anything happened…" she trailed off.

"Eddi I need you to listen to me" Luc told her sternly, cupping her face in his hands. "Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm going to be out there for just three months. That's all. Then I'll be back here- with you" he didn't lose eye contact with her once.

"Do you promise?" she sounded meek and feeble, but she had to hear him say it.

"I promise" he said, bringing her lips to his. This kiss was longer, and more passionate. They broke apart for air.

"Oh and Eddi, I meant to say it earlier, I love you too." He smiled as their mouths reinstated. Eddi ran her hands under Luc's shirt, and Luc let out a small moan.

"No, I have to go." He whispered to her, disappointedly. It was going to be so hard leaving her. They broke apart and Eddi sighed. They sat staring at each other for a while, each lost in the other's eyes.

"I have to go." Luc repeated, sadly. Eddi opened the door and turned to get out, before turning back around to plant one final kiss on Luc's lips.

"I'll be waiting for you" she whispered in his ear, before finally getting out. Luc watched as she shut the door and started to head in the direction of the hospital He started his engine one last time and fully pulled out of his old parking spot. Eddi watched the campervan and the man she had grown to love make its way out of the car park and onto the road. A single tear drop rolled slowly down her cheek.


	11. Chapter 11

**OKey cokey guys, here's chapter 11. As usual, all feedback, including constructive criticism, is welcome. In case anyone missed it, I did a Leddi Christmas oneshot back in December but I put it out a day later than I said I would, sorry! Hope that everyone's enjoying reading this, as much as I am writing it!**

Chapter 11

_3 months later…_

With just over a week until Luc's return, Eddi was ecstatic. Or at least she would have been, had she not been feeling so ill. She and Luc wrote letters frequently to one another and talked using a webcam whenever possible. Eddi craved hearing his voice almost as much as she craved feeling his touch. The past three months had been hard, but at least she had known where he was this time. She'd kept herself busy at work and looked forward to the post each day. Eddi rolled herself out of bed and stumbled in the direction of the bathroom. She couldn't understand why she felt so ill; she hadn't had a drink in ages. She groaned as she saw he reflection in the mirror. Her skin was even paler than usual and she was dismayed to find large circles under eyes. She was about to wash her face when she felt vile and had to make a dash for the toilet. She vomited several times, and continued to wretch afterwards, even though nothing came out. She brushed her teeth and cursed at herself for getting ill right before Luc came home. Annoyed, Eddi realised she couldn't go into work that day, as she knew she mustn't risk infecting the patients. Work was her distraction from Luc; she didn't know what to do now that she had the day to herself. She always made sure she was busy at the week end so that she didn't have time to miss him. How she was going to occupy her mind today remained a mystery.

Having rung Holby to say she couldn't come in, Eddi was surprised to find that, despite her vomiting, she was hungry. Very hungry. She walked into her kitchen and made herself a sandwich, which she ate in almost no time. However, no sooner had she finished eating that she found herself back in the bathroom throwing it all back up again. Eddi sat on the floor wondering what could possibly be wrong with her- she was supposed to be trained in medicine, for goodness sake- she should be able to work this out. She stared round her bathroom when she spotted her Tampax box on a shelf. Something occurred to Eddi; she was late- three months late.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no," she murmured to herself as she grabbed her coat and shoes, and dashed out of her apartment in the direction of the pharmacy. How could she not have seen this coming? It was so obvious. Had she been one of her patients who didn't know they were pregnant, she would have been very annoyed- all the signs were there. Had this been anyone else, Eddi would have spotted it straight away- she'd just never thought it would be her. She was hardly mother- material; she could barely look after herself, let alone have another life completely dependent on her.

Having reached the pharmacy, she grabbed the pregnancy test from the counter and looked around sheepishly. This was ridiculous; she was a grown woman, not some underage teenager with a secret boyfriend. There was no reason to feel embarrassed buying this. And yet her cheeks still went red as she entered the queue. She was behind a rather large woman, in her mid-forties with bright, unnatural blonde hair. The woman turned around to face Eddi.

"Will it be your first?" she asked. Eddi considered this an odd question, especially as she didn't even know for definite that she was pregnant.

"Urm yes" Eddi mumbled as way of response.

"Oh gosh, I remember my first, it was ages ago now. You and the father must be very excited" she continued grinning.

"The father? Oh damn, the father." Eddi muttered startled, suddenly remembering Luc.

"Had you been trying for long? With me and Mike it took almost a year before we finally conceived. We thought we'd have to try IVF." the woman ignored Eddi's previous reply and continued to witter on about her own life. Eddi would have shouted at her for being so assumptive about her situation, had she not been called to pay. She left the shop with a hundred more worries than when she'd come in. Amidst all the drama of the morning, Eddi had completely forgotten about Luc and what he had to do with everything. Let's be honest, he had a pretty major role in this particular drama of her life. She kept reminding herself that nothing was certain yet, however deep down she already knew. She got home and ran to the bathroom to take the test. After what seemed like the longest two minutes of her life, it confirmed what Eddi was already positive of. She was pregnant with Luc Hemingway's baby.

Her eyes welled up; how could she have been this stupid? There was a thing, a person, growing inside of her because of one night without protection. One night. How could she have let this happen? Eddi lay on her bed, hugging her stomach and let the tears flow. This was not the way things were supposed to work out. Then again, with her and Luc this was hardly surprising.

If Eddi thought she wasn't cut out to be a mother, then that was nothing compared to Luc acting as a father. The guy didn't even own a house. But he _chose_ to be like that- independent and not tied down; how on earth was she supposed to tell him he was going to be a daddy? Was he going to be a daddy? Eddi hadn't even thought about whether or not to keep the baby. However, she was certain of one thing: she couldn't even think about making a decision like that until she told Luc. Since he would be back in a week, Eddi decided it would be better to tell him in person. However, there was the matter of their scheduled video chat later that night. She was going to have to try and act as though all was well, despite the events of the day. She knew he would be able to tell something was up- her eyes, for instance, were red from crying. At that moment, her computer began buzzing.

"Hey Luc…"


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys, I know it's a bit of a short chapter but let me know your thoughts anyway. Sit back, relax and enjoy…**

Chapter 12

5 days, 3 hours and 36 minutes remained until Luc returned home. 5 days, 3 hours and 36 minutes until Eddi got to feel his touch once more. 5 days, 3 hours and 36 minutes left for Eddi to decide how she was going to tell Luc she was pregnant. The last part played on her mind the most. She was still at a loss as to what to do with this foetus. Were she and Luc really in the best position to become parents? She wasn't sure. However, the thought that soon she would be back in his arms once more kept her spirits up.

For the first time since she began her career as a nurse, Eddi was thankful for the baggy scrubs, as it meant no one could see her stomach was expanding yet. Nevertheless, Eddi knew it was only a matter of time before someone found out. Her constant dashes to the toilets in the morning were a bit of a giveaway… Chrissie had followed her yesterday, meaning Eddi had had to try and hold back vomiting in order to convince her she was fine. She knew that if Chrissie heard her vomiting in the morning, it wouldn't take her long to put things together. The longer she could keep this a secret, the better, especially as she didn't know if she was even keeping the baby. Work wasn't the pleasure it used to be when Luc was there. Like when he left the first time, it had become her distraction- something to pass the time. The thought that soon it would be the way it used to be again, her and Luc working side by side, brought her unimaginable happiness. She couldn't help but smile when she thought back to how annoyed she used to be at the thought of working side by side with him. She supposed it was like Michael said: 'sometimes women mistake attraction for hate'. It had certainly been true for her.

She stood starring at herself in the mirror. There was definitely a bump to her stomach that hadn't used to be there. She had also noticed how much more difficult it had become to do up the buttons on her jeans recently. It was her day off today, and what with finding out she was pregnant, she had made no plans as of yet. However, she didn't really feel like going out anywhere. She needed to be alone with her thoughts, try and figure out what to do. Eddi was sitting on her sofa, contemplating her situation, when she heard a knock at the door.

"I thought one of the perks of being pregnant was that you didn't have to get up for things like answering the door" she mumbled to herself as she made her way to the entrance to her flat. She wasn't expecting anyone- who on earth could it be? Eddi opened the door to find a man. A man in uniform. A man she hadn't seen in three months.


	13. Chapter 13

**Here it is; chapter 13. I would love to know what everyone thought of this chapter so please leave a review- consider it a birthday present to me ;) Thanks everyone!**

Chapter 13

"Officer Johnson" Eddi said in a quivering tone. She had met Gabriel Johnson once, three months ago when he had come by to confirm next of kin details for Luc. Eddi had been both surprised and flattered that Luc had chosen her to be his next of kin. After all, they were hardly a solid couple, what with their unstable history. Then again, Eddi wasn't sure there was anyone else.

"Miss McKee, may I come in" he replied in a gentle voice. Eddi could only nod as she doubted she wanted to hear what he had to say. She led him into the living room and he sat down opposite her. Eddi was shaking a little; she knew what was coming.

"Miss Mckee, there's no easy way for me to say this. There was a bomb explosion in Iraq. Its target was the on-site hospital set up. Mr Hemingway, Luc, was inside at the time of the explosion. I'm very sorry." He said genuinely. Eddi sat silent starring at a stain on the floor. She rocked slightly and her body tensed up. She felt ill, but this had nothing to do with the baby inside her. She was turning very pale and continued to stare at the patch on the floor.

"This floor's so dirty; I need to clean it" muttered Eddi getting a J-cloth.

"No Eddi, you're in shock." Formalities were dropped as Gabrielle tried to communicate with her. "You need to sit down" he continued calmly while trying to remove the J-cloth from Eddi's grasp.

"No! Can't you see? I need to… I need to…." Gabriel continued to fight for the J-cloth and won, allowing Eddi to collapse into his arms in tears. He sat her down again and continued.

"I can only begin to imagine what you're going through, but I want you to know this…" he was cut off.

"You're wrong. You've made a mistake. Luc's not dead, he can't be!" Eddi cried desperately.

"There have been no mistakes, I'm so sorry. But listen, I need you to know that Luc died a hero, helping others. For that, the nation will be eternally grateful" he was trying to be comforting. Had she been calmer, Eddi would have been appreciative of what he said.

"I know you probably don't want to think about it right now, but there is the legal stuff we need to get out of the way, I'm afraid. There's the matter of compensation that…"

"I don't want nor need your money!" Eddi protested. How could she even think about something like that at a time like this?

"It's not my money; it's Luc's and he wanted you to have it. It may come in useful in the future, maybe if you have children." As if on cue, Eddi felt a slight movement from within her stomach. Not big enough to be a kick yet, but something was definitely there. "Just promise me you'll think about it." Gabriel pleaded. Eddi could only nod. Her throat hurt and reality was beginning to set in. Luc was gone. For good.

"Hey, hey now" Gabriel put a reassuring arm round Eddi's shoulder as the tears flew at an unstoppable speed. She couldn't help it. The love of her life, the father of her child, was dead.

"I…I…I never…" Eddi tried to speak through sobs. "I nev-never t-told him."

"Told him what?" Gabriel tried to be supportive.

"I'm, I'm pregnant" she held her stomach protectively.

"Oh Eddi, you need to be with someone right now. Is there anyone I can call?" Eddi wasn't sure she wanted anyone with her at the moment. That wasn't true- she did; she wanted Luc with her. However, she knew she was in no fit state to look after herself and she needed to think about the little person inside her as well.

"Sacha. Sacha Levy."

"Okay, I'll ring him. He'll be here, don't worry."

Twenty minutes later Sacha arrived. News hadn't reached the hospital of Luc's death at this point so he didn't know why he was here. He'd spoken to a man on the phone, something about Eddi… He wasn't sure what, but he didn't hesitate to find out. Gabriel opened the door and took him to Eddi who was sat on her sofa starring out of the window.

"Eddi, you'll be okay with Sacha. I'm going to come back tomorrow, okay?" he said softly. Eddi hugged him; he was a great man really. She just couldn't appreciate that today.

"Eddi, Eddi what is it?" Sacha asked concerned. He didn't know who had answered the door to him, and Eddi rarely cried so he was very worried.

"It's Luc, Sach. He was ki- killed." Eddi broke down again Sacha couldn't believe what he was hearing. He hadn't known him long, but he definitely considered Luc a friend- a good one too. Sacha wanted to cry as well, but knew he had to be strong for Eddi' sake.

"Oh Eddi, come here" Sacha pulled her into his biggest bear hug and let her cry into his shoulder. He found he also had wipe a tear or two away from his own eyes.

"That's not all. I'm pregnant" Eddi admitted at last. She'd regained a little bit of composure by now and was able to have a proper conversation.

"Okay Eddi, don't worry. I'll organize everything- you just need to think about your baby, which reminds me, have you eaten yet today?" he asked. Sacha hadn't even been aware that she and Luc had begun their relationship again, they were both very private people. Nevertheless, it didn't surprise him. They had both been crazy about each other, that was obvious to anyone.

"No, I, well… it just wasn't on my mind."

"Sit there. I'm making you a sandwich." Sacha wasn't often authorative but it was important right now. He had to look after two lives which were in a very fragile state having just lost a boyfriend and a father. Sacha walked into the kitchen, leaving Eddi alone with her thoughts and immediately called Chrissie.

"Hello?"

"Chrissie, something awful has happened."

"Awful awful or Sacha awful?"

"Luc's dead."

"What?! Oh gosh, Eddi!"

"I'm with her now. She's not in a good state. Can you inform the hospital of everything? Oh and I think I may have to sleep on Eddi's sofa tonight. She needs someone here with her, especially since…" Sacha stopped himself. He knew Eddi would be angry if he told Chrissie about her pregnancy and that really wasn't what she needed right now.

"Especially since…?"

"Nothing, don't worry."

"Okay, well that's absolutely fine. Look after her and give her my love."

"Will do, bye"

"Bye."

Sacha walked back into the living room. "One Sacha, special sandwich!" he told her but stopped. Eddi was sat starring at something. It was Luc's old ID card for the hospital. Sacha put down the sandwich next to her and came and sat down.

"Why did I let him go Sach? Why didn't I make him stay here."

"You need to stop right there. Eddi, you can't blame yourself for this. It's not your fault."

"I should've done something. Anything to make him stay. And now my baby won't have a daddy."

"So you're having this baby?"

Eddi thought for a moment. Up until now, she hadn't been sure, but suddenly it all seemed so simple. "It's all I have left of him." She said in a mellow tone, putting a hand to her stomach.

"I'm going to stay here for a while, for as long as you both need me here. Okay?"

"Thanks Sach." She smiled for the first time that day. It was a small smile with watery eyes but it was something. The pair sat in silence for a while, both thinking about the man they once knew. A brilliant, intelligent and, in his own, way charming man. Luc Hemingway was gone but not forgotten.

**Thanks for reading guys. Sorry things got a little sad there. One more chapter to go- an epilogue. Thanks a lot for sticking with me! **


	14. Chapter 14

**So, here it is! The final part! Thank you for sticking with me through the thick and thin, and I hope the ending wasn't too sad. I've tried to make the epilogue a little bit more uplifting! Don't forget to review! Much love to everyone….**

Epilogue

Sacha had stuck to his word and organised everything for Eddi, including the funeral. Eddi had been surprised at the number of people who turned up: porters, grounds keepers and ex-patients were among the list. But it summed Luc up exactly: whether he'd realised it or not, he always left an impression because of the way he always helped. The ceremony was beautiful and Eddi had been very grateful to Sacha. However, she couldn't help feeling saddened by the lack of stories from Luc's past. She was sure he would have told her eventually- they just never got given the chance. Eddi had held her stomach the whole way through; Luc really did live on inside her.

Six months later Eddi gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who she named Dylan Luc Hemingway. He had his father's eyes- eyes that Eddi found herself gazing into constantly. As he grew, Eddi discovered he also shared a lot of his dad's unique personality. He was extremely bright and very caring. He kept Luc's memory alive; he really was the essence of his father. Dylan grew up knowing that his father was a hero, despite them never meeting in person. The posters on his bedroom wall changed often as he got older, but one thing that never moved was the picture of his dad. He was smiling- smiling at the photographer; his mum. Eddi didn't like to tell her son much about her and Luc's romance, but Dylan always knew that they had loved each other. Very much.

Eddi married eventually. He was a kind man, another doctor who supported both her and Dylan. He loved Eddi very much, and Eddi cared deeply for him, but it was never the same as with Luc. There wasn't the same excitement. They went on to have two children together, a little girl named Jemima and a boy called Jack. Eddi loved all of her children, and her husband treated Dylan like his own. He came to his school productions, his parent's evenings and attended his graduation from university with his medical degree. Eddi couldn't deny that he was a great fatherly figure, she just wished Dylan could have met his real one.

Not a day passed when Eddi didn't think about Luc. It was painful at first, but time's the greatest healer of them all, so that eventually Eddi could look back on her time with him and smile. Their love had been so strong that not even death could destroy it. He would forever hold a more than significant piece of her heart. She'd always love him; always. And that was the one thing in her life that could never change.

**Why not review for old times' sake? Look out for more stories! Also, thank you, thank you, thank you for reading! Xxxxxxxx**


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